What's For Breakfast?

[ElkNut1]

Most of our elk hunting is done from a base-camp, rarely do we ever bivy in. For those in either situations what's quick & easy yet provides good energy for at least 3 hours before you have to re-fuel. (grin) First coffee! For me I generally will eat a peanut butter sandwich, heavy on the peanut butter, hardboiled egg sometimes & one scoop of protein powder in 5oz of milk, this will generally do me for around 3 hours of hard hunting.

What about other folks? What's your start up power?

ElkNut1

[Still Hunter]

For the last 40 years i've been eating only one breakfast to get me started in the morning. Whether hunting, hiking, or a normal day.

It's a big, and I mean big bowl of oatmeal with fresh fruit. Depending on what i think my activity will be for the day i'll use different forms on dairy products in it. Non activity day like this one, and it's skim milk. Hiking it's whole milk. Hunting it's half and half. The extra fat is good for long term energy. Energy for the rest of the day is home made pemmican. Just like the Indians and mountain men used to eat.

One other note. I use the slow cook real natural oatmeal. Non of that instant junk. My whole diet is as natural as possible, and I think it's the reason I can can still hunt elk solo at 70 years old. Plus, i'm hiking the rocky mountains at least 300 days a year from 8000ft to 12,000 ft.

[ctdad]

Instant oatmeal with protein powder mixed in. Also have used some breakfast cookies that are 300 calories each. Will look up their name later. Not bad

[Trumkin the Dwarf]

Often its an apple, and a peanut butter and Nutella sandwich or a Snickers bar. I'm usually doing quite a bit of hiking in the dark, and I prefer to take food breaks every 45 minutes or so as I hike, for something small like a small cup of Pineapple, or a chunk of cheese, or sausage. My stomach doesn't handle large portions of food well at 3 or 4 am, so I start with a shot of calories, then build up the base of food in the stomach as I hike. It is a good way to slow myself down and prevent sweat buildup, while keeping the gut happy.

[BrentLaBere]

This is something I plan on adjusting for next year.
But this season my main coarse at 4 am was: Slam 1-2 packets of crystal lite energy at the stream. 2 Packets of quaker instant oatmeal and a cliff bar. Load up the water bladder and a bottle with mixed gator and head out. I was always lazy and just at the instant oatmeal with water in the packet so I didn't have to wait and clean a jet boil after. I like the idea of using protein next year like others have. Also peanut butter bagels would be quite the treat. I have heard so much about the peanut butter bacon bagels that I have to try them.

[cnelk]

What?!
Nobody drinks coffee???!!!

Thats the first thing on my breakfast menu

[pointysticks]

i cant eat super early. kinda nauseous.

i eat oatmeal, choke it down..with dried fruit, big glass of very watered down fruit juice, and a cup of coffee.

i will eat a peanut butter burrito shortly afterwards into the hike..and nibble on nuts and hardboiled eggs.

[WapitiTalk1]

Just coffe with sugar. Will grab a snack (usually a heavy duty oatmeal cookie) on the trail or shortly after the first setup.

[Huntrgathr]

Just coffe with sugar. Will grab a snack (usually a heavy duty oatmeal cookie) on the trail or shortly after the first setup.

This. I spend breakfast time sitting in the dark listening to animals...

[Swede]

Before the hunt breakfast is a full meal deal. After the season opens it is one bowl of Cherrios. Everything else I need to get me to, and sometimes thru lunch is in my day pack.

[Still Hunter]

The trick is to get up the same time everyday of the year to match your hunting time. I get up at 3am everyday, and eating breakfast at that time is normal for me. Plus, I live in elk country, so I don't camp. I eat at home, and by the time at at the trailhead, i'd digested and ready to go.

[ctdad]

I thought coffee was a given. Starbucks via us the greatest thing ever for camp coffee

[elkmtngear]

I used to do oatmeal...took too much time. Now I make these "fuzzy meal bars" (got the recipe on Bowsite a couple years back).

Around 350 calories in one compact little bar. One of those and a 5 hour energy shot Keeps me satisfied and going until I eat my peanut butter/bacon/honey sandwich in the early afternoon.

Here's the recipe:

Make a couple dozen of these, wrap them in lightly-oiled aluminum foil, and tuck them into your pack.
Fuzzy’s Meal-Bars: 1 cup honey
1 Cup powdered milk
1 Cup flax seed meal
1 cup Steel Cut Oats
1 cup Shredded coconut
1 cup Chopped pecans
1 cup Chopped Figs
1 tablespoon Olive oil
Heat the honey (I use blue agave syrup sometimes instead) in a cooking pot until very thin (don’t scorch it), turn off the heat, add in this order: Powdered milk, olive oil, flax seed meal, shredded coconut, steel cut oats, nuts, chopped figs. Stir each ingredient in well with a wooden spoon before adding the next. You can substitute dried dates, blueberries, cranberries, strawberries, apples, raisins, currants whatever. You can use walnuts, sunflower seeds, peanuts, slivered almonds, etc instead of pecans. It’ll change your nutritional values a little.
Press into a shallow rectangular 9” Pyrex dish, chill, then cut into rectangular bars. Wrap in foil oiled lightly with olive oil. Makes 12 servings@: (this recipie) +/- 347 calories ….about right for a quick, portable meal-replacement)

[>>>---WW---->]

When elk season rolls around, everything changes. And that includes eating habits!!

I have my pack ready to go the evening before. When morning comes, it's put on your duds, splash some water in your face, and go hunting. Around 9:30 -10:00, when things have settled down, I whip out a peanut butter sandwich and a protein bar. Maybe even get my cook kit out and cook up some oatmeal and coffee. Then around 3:00 or so I load up on grub and head out for the evening hunt. Supper is usually after dark when I get back in camp or home and I go to bed on a full stomach.

[Still Hunter]

The reason coffee isn't included for some of us is, we know it's a diuretic, and will dehydrate you at high altitude.

[Buglemaster]

Guess I'm diuretic as the first thing on every morning is the coffee pot, followed shortly by pre made (from home) breakfast burritos. The best breakfast burritos in the world I might add.we generally throw those toasty foil wrapped rascals in a coat pocket that makes for a nice hand warmer on the way up the hill. For us it's a great way to start the day & will hold us over till late morning when something else falls out of the pack...have to leave room for the big meal of the day at noon. No one backs down from the fish fry, or steak fry, or ribs, or brats & burgers or fried grouse or.....

[cnelk]

My breakfast

Hot coffee that chases 600mg of ibuprofen.
A big oatmeal cookie

The pack is prepared the night before with snacks:

PBB Honey tortillas
Chewy bars
Small Snickers candy bars
Trail mix

This gets me thru til the next time I eat a real meal

[ctdad]

http://www.bbcookies.com/shop/home.php?cat=1

This is the breakfast cookies I like.

[Elkduds]

All my calories are in my pockets, except evening meal. A banana while walking in, an apple for afternoon. H2O. Ziplock of self-assembled trail mix (may include craisins, almonds, dried pineapple, peanuts, dehydrated apricots, chocolate chips or M&Ms, banana chips, coconut, dried papaya, yogurt-covered raisins, cashews, sunflower seeds, and whatever else seems tempting).

If stuck in camp at breakfast, there is instant oatmeal standing by in the food box; with brown sugar, fruit, real maple syrup(!!), perhaps flavored nondairy creamers.

[JGH]

I'm usually a breakfast addict ... love my eggs, sausage, and tortillas.

But, when elk hunting ... it's a pop-tart and OTD (Out The Door). I'll snack through the day. I don't want to waste time in the morning with cooking or cleaning up. Pop-tarts have all the carbs I need to make it to my 9:00 a.m. Clif Bar.

[dreamhunter]

I turn on my elknut cd and listen to the sounds of elk while my coffee is heating and then while I'm drinking my coffee I'm cooking my oatmeal.Replay that last track on the cd because I need to here that again.While listening to the same track again I'm now into my oatmeal and coffee.All done,now check to see that everything is packed and ready to go.I know mother nature will call soon so no leaving camp just yet.( sorry didn't mean to make you loose your breakfast ). Grab a few snacks to take with to hold me over,make sure I have plenty of water and at least two energy drinks. XS Brand. No sugar and loaded with lots of Vit B s.Now that is whenI hunt alone. When my buddy is with me, he's a great cook. It's a whole different situation.Eggs,sausage,tortillas,coffee,fruit,etc. Then it's nap time, lol. Not really, we head out and see what we can get done.

[JJ Overkill]

im not a breakfast person at all. its coffee (black) followed by a pinch of Copenhagen. but I do make oatmeal for my son and hot coco for him.

after being on the mountain for a while I usually eat a peanut butter, honey, and bacon sandwich (1000 calories ) not the tastiest but edible

[navet]

I second the breakfast taco. I make mine at home beforehand wrap them in foil and put in ice chest. Take two out each morning and place on the grill of the Mr Buddy heater(while it is on ). They heat up while I make coffee.

[ishy]

Usually cereal mixed with granola. Seems like every day I see new protein bars out. Several of them taste like a candy bars so they will be more in the mix. Another supplement to breakfast is aussy bites from Costco. They are the bomb.

[>>>---WW---->]

If you happen to drive your truck from camp to a distant hunting area, those breakfast burritos wrapped in foil are the hot ticket. Just pop the hood and place them on top of the engine. By the time you get where you are going, they will be nice and toasty. Also works good on hotdogs, brats, and what ever.

[cohunter14]

We also do burritos, but we have made adjustments over the years. We used to have them done and wrapped in tortillas with foil and we would heat them that way. The problem was, by the time everything was warm on the inside, the tortilla was cooked hard as a rock. Since then, we have pre-made the burritos, but don't put them in the tortillas. Bacon, chorizo, and hash browns are pre-cooked and placed in a big ziplock along with some green chili and uncooked eggs. Defrost the bag the night before and throw the mix on the stove along with the coffee in the morning. By the time the coffee is done, so is the burrito mix. Throw them on a tortilla that has been warmed on the wood stove along with some cheese and it makes getting up in the morning a lot easier! It also lasts a long time in the stomach and speeds the morning 'digestion' if you know what I mean

[Broken arrow]

Instant oatmeal, carnation instant breakfast w/ Nido brand powdered milk (it isn't fat free and taste better than the other stuff to me). I just rinse out my MH bag at night and use it for my oatmeal in the morning. Oh and lots of coffee!

[bnsafe]

ive carried a ton of food to camp the last two years, then don't eat it. I don't cook anything while elk hunting. its usually a protein bar an monster drink for breakfast, sandwhich an chips for lunch, an jerky an almonds for supper. frankly I have to force myself to eat an cooking is the last thing I wanna do. this year im planning on more base camp stuff though. will still do protein bar/banana/monster for breakfast, cook something for lunch, then jerky or sandwich for supper. im always just to tired to care about food.

[Swede]

ive carried a ton of food to camp the last two years, then don't eat it.

I have found that is what supplies the canned food drives. I have a bunch to donate to the next local one. I don't cook either. Food is either ready to go or I open cans and boxes add water and heat. I make the coffee at church, but it is usually those individual packets of instant, emptied in a cup of hot water for me in camp. The issue for me is not the time it takes to make the coffee, but I don't like to make a pot and then drink one cup and let the remainder sit all day and more.

[Still Hunter]

ive carried a ton of food to camp the last two years, then don't eat it. I don't cook anything while elk hunting. its usually a protein bar an monster drink for breakfast, sandwhich an chips for lunch, an jerky an almonds for supper. frankly I have to force myself to eat an cooking is the last thing I wanna do. this year im planning on more base camp stuff though. will still do protein bar/banana/monster for breakfast, cook something for lunch, then jerky or sandwich for supper. im always just to tired to care about food.

Could be you're too tired, because of what you're eating. Food is your fuel.

[Swede]

I agree with Still Hunter, but I find that long days and not getting good rest really starts to wear on me at times. I am out for 35 days on many hunts. I have gone longer, but that is my normal maximum. Long days and short nights tire me out, and a midday nap does not help all that much. I also notice I can't sleep in, knowing that the elk are depending on me to get out and start the hunt each morning. I just hate to disappoint them, considering they have had to wait all year for this special time.

[Still Hunter]

I agree completely. Hunting is never easy. Elk hunting is even harder. No way to not get tired, but not eating right just makes it worse.

I noticed when I was younger I could get away with more. At my age now I need to do everything right, or I won't be able to finish the hunt. I have to wonder how good I would have felt when I was younger if I had payed more attention to what I ate.

[twinkieman]

#1. COFFEE, after the coffee a big bowl of oatmeal, along with a tall glass of oj. In my pack I carry homemade breakfastbars that are full of oatmeal, peanuts, sunseeds, peanut butter, raisins, craisins, stc. they really fill the tank back up.

[Bullnuts]

Coffee and PBJ, sometimes a granola bar, but NEVER oatmeal - stuff's like eating ExLax for me. I also like packing wraps - turkey breast, cheese, mayo, wrapped in a tortilla. That and a candy bar will usually get me through lunch time.

[Waygoner]

My wife makes some great power bars packed with calories and protein. That and a cup of coffee and I'm ready to go.

[Z Barebow]

I used to do oatmeal...took too much time. Now I make these "fuzzy meal bars" (got the recipe on Bowsite a couple years back).

Around 350 calories in one compact little bar. One of those and a 5 hour energy shot Keeps me satisfied and going until I eat my peanut butter/bacon/honey sandwich in the early afternoon.

Here's the recipe:

Make a couple dozen of these, wrap them in lightly-oiled aluminum foil, and tuck them into your pack.
Fuzzy’s Meal-Bars: 1 cup honey
1 Cup powdered milk
1 Cup flax seed meal
1 cup Steel Cut Oats
1 cup Shredded coconut
1 cup Chopped pecans
1 cup Chopped Figs
1 tablespoon Olive oil
Heat the honey (I use blue agave syrup sometimes instead) in a cooking pot until very thin (don’t scorch it), turn off the heat, add in this order: Powdered milk, olive oil, flax seed meal, shredded coconut, steel cut oats, nuts, chopped figs. Stir each ingredient in well with a wooden spoon before adding the next. You can substitute dried dates, blueberries, cranberries, strawberries, apples, raisins, currants whatever. You can use walnuts, sunflower seeds, peanuts, slivered almonds, etc instead of pecans. It’ll change your nutritional values a little.
Press into a shallow rectangular 9” Pyrex dish, chill, then cut into rectangular bars. Wrap in foil oiled lightly with olive oil. Makes 12 servings@: (this recipie) +/- 347 calories ….about right for a quick, portable meal-replacement)

I made those for this season. My daughter calls them "birdseed bars!" Very high fuel content.

This year I found myself making less oatmeal and just grabbing something to go. Clif bar, birdseed bar, or my favorite is Honey Stinger waffles @ 160 cal per oz. Drink a little water to wash them down and I was good until mid to late morning.

[Heartwood]

When bivy hunting i eat homemade "backcountry" bars (oats, honey, seeds, peanut butter etc) and some elk jerky. I'm lucky that my wonderful wife makes a seasons supply of the bars each year. When in basecamp i eat warm oatmeal with craisins and powdered milk added. I might start adding some protien powder as others have mentioned. The backcountry bars are based on some commercially produced bars made here in Idaho. Try googling "backcountry bars" or homemade energy bars and you will find various recipes for homemade. The store bought bars are quite good also but i eat large quantities so homemade is the best for me. These bars are no bake so pretty easy to make, heck even Twinkieman can make them!

[Vids]

For starters a bit of caffeine, a clif bar and a Kodiak helps get the system "moving" so I don't have to interrupt the hike in by leaning against a tree. For later in the morning I pack a bagel w/cream cheese and a couple slices of pre-cooked bacon. Lunch is a sandwich, fruit and chips. Dinner is something warm back in camp. That's for camping at the trailhead, while bivy hunting it's mostly the same but I don't bring anything perishable.

[ElkNut1]

You guys having given me some great ideas to expand on, thanks!

Vids, what's a Kodiak?

ElkNut1

[JJ Overkill]

its for those who cant handle Copenhagen

[Mikeha33]

I found this over on Rokslide, and tried it this year, and it was awesome, couldn't get enough of it, and wished I had more. I used a vacuum seal Ziploc bag and in it I put high calorie granola cereal with dehydrated fruit mixed in, and then add powdered milk to it (1-1/2 cups cereal, 1 cup powdered milk). I sealed it up, and it compressed pretty small, and very packable. Once in the backcountry, I just heat up a pot full of water on my mini stove (2 cups) fold down the edges of the Ziploc to create a bowl, and dump the warm water right into the Ziploc and stir it up, and chow down. It was absolutely the best thing I ate every day, and was a very pleasant warm-up with the coffee every morning, and with the 2 cups from my pot, I have enough to make coffee and breakfast in 1 pot. I actually looked forward to getting up just to eat before the hunt.

[Swamp Buck]

Oatmeal on cold days and Granola and powdered milk mix with water on other days. Always a Starbucks VIA or two...

[ctdad]

Anybody ever eat the mountain house breakfasts? I was thinking of getting them for some variety

[Broken arrow]

I've had the burrito mix one and the bacon and eggs they are ok but talk to long for me.

[Still Hunter]

I've had the burrito mix one and the bacon and eggs they are ok but talk to long for me.

I wouldn't eat them if they're talking to you.

[elkmtngear]

Anybody ever eat the mountain house breakfasts? I was thinking of getting them for some variety

One of my hunting partners ate one (bacon and eggs) before a morning hike from hell, and he complained all morning .

Oh, wait a minute, he complained EVERY morning...darn whiny flatlanders LOL!

[JohnFitzgerald]

its for those who cant handle Copenhagen

LOL!

[Z Barebow]

Anybody ever eat the mountain house breakfasts? I was thinking of getting them for some variety

They are ok. My first experience with them I was dead dog exhausted and didn't have an appetite. Knew I had to eat and I rushed it a little. It was watery and I couldn't choke all of it down. (Tortilla Breakfast Wrap). Tried my second package later in the hunt when I felt better. Was able to eat the whole package but still would only give them a grade of a "C". Take too long to rehydrate and not worth the effort. Won't buy them again.

[Litenfast]

I tried the mountain house Milk, blueberries and granola this fall in CO and I thought it was delicious, the egg scrambler was okay, but it did its job of breaking up the instant oatmeal on a week long bivy trip. For me it has to be fast, light and reasonably good for you, and give me some good fuel until my snack about 2 hours later.